How To Tame Your Original
by lonelywinter
Summary: a series of ongoing one shots about Caroline's adventures in how to make Klaus a less violent person
1. Chapter 1

**AN: So no baby plot line because ew, but other than that this is nice a lighthearted one shot … I might add on more parts whenever I feel like it but for now this is it :)**

-o-

She sat on the armchair across from him, her magazine turned to the side so she could examine a two page add. Klaus chuckled at her before looking back down towards his sketch pad. "Hey Klaus," she called to him, causing him to look up again. "I was thinking."

"Well that's never good." He stated, watching her face scrunch up as she thought of ways to kill him.

Caroline managed to regain her original thoughts, shaking away the negativity. "I think we should start a group circle." Her chipper smile was just so _Caroline_.

"Why on Earth would we form a sharing circle?" Klaus titled his head to watch her explain herself.

"Well," she began, "we can get the vampires and the werewolves and the witches and the humans all together and we can talk about things that are going on in the town instead of being violent!" Her eyes were large and beaming.

He shook his head, "that's not going to happen."

"Why not?"

Klaus wanted to explain that he was _evil, _violence was kind of on his to-do list, whether he liked it or not. She saw the nicest parts of him but that didn't mean he wanted to expose the rest of the world to his softer and gentler side. "Because despite what you think of me, I do have to keep up appearances Sweetheart."

Her body leaned forward, "Fine! I'll just go talk to Rebekah and Elijah about it." He sighed. "They're always on my side."

With that she stormed off.

-o-

Caroline clapped her hands together happily, watching as the beings of New Orleans took their rightful places around her. "Welcome everybody!" She greeted joyously.

"I'm beginning to regret being here." Hayley groaned, leaning back in her chair.

Her giddy smile faded as her head snapped to look at the werewolf, "You didn't have to come Hayley. I told them not to invite you anyways." The brunette went open mouthed.

Klaus took a drink of his whiskey, chuckling into the bottom of his glass. "No being drunk." Caroline commanded as she took a seat beside him. "Sober conversations are the ones you won't regret."

"Well I'm not drunk yet, and I'm regretting most of this conversation." Rebekah announced, downing the remains of her own booze.

Caroline sighed, "We're here for peace not to argue."

Camille raised her hand, "I still don't understand why I have to be here." Her glare was directed at Klaus.

"Because we needed a human and you're the only person some of us like." Caroline explained, trying to be as honest as possible. Klaus rolled his eyes.

"This idea is stupid." Marcel commented, watching small arguments break out in the group.

"Hey!" Caroline crossed her arms offended. Klaus rose up from his chair to grab Marcel by the throat. "Klaus no! This is the opposite of what I wanted!"

-o-

Klaus was okay with calling group time a complete failure since he ended up fighting with Marcel until his siblings peeled him away. Caroline hadn't been impressed and locked herself in her room for the next two days.

She was so temperamental at times.

He arrived home to what he believed was an empty house until he arrived in his own bedroom to find his furniture covered in sheets and Caroline holding a paintbrush.

Not to mention the fact that his walls were painted bright yellow.

"What the hell is going on?" He barked out, caught off guard by the sudden change in room decor.

Caroline spun around. "Surprise!" She grinned widely, "yellow represents happiness so I thought this might make you happier!"

He raised an eyebrow at her, "Where did you read that?"

"Online." She replied immediately.

He held the bridge of his nose. "What exactly are you trying to accomplish Caroline?"

She walked towards him, "I'm just trying to stop you from being so … violent! Trying to get you to care more!" Klaus had to admit that the gesture was sweet and something he would totally expect from her, but it wasn't going to happen.

"Caroline Love, if you haven't noticed …. I'm evil." He held her shoulders, peering into her eyes. "That's how I get things dealt with."

Her lips pursed, "But you're not always evil, just sometimes!" He shook his head. "Oh stop pouting and follow me, we're going to the pound."

Her shoulder bumped his as she walked by. "The what?" He choked out.

-o-

Klaus's feet ran after the blonde, down the stairs and out the front door of the mansion. "Caroline what are you talking about?"

"I was doing some research and it turns out that men are more affectionate when they have cats!" She sounded overly impressed with herself, expecting Klaus to feel the same way.

He paused on the street, "I'm not getting a cat Caroline, I don't even know how to handle my family let alone an animal." Her posture slumped. "Besides, I've been alive 1000 years I'm hardly your typical man."

She crossed her arms, jutting her hip out to the side the kind of way she did when Klaus was about to get a talking to. "Last week you through a tantrum when Elijah drank all the O- blood in the house." He couldn't see her point. "You're the biggest man child I've ever met. C'mon."

-o-

Rebekah held the small white ball of fuzz in her hands, rubbing her nose against it's side. "He's so cute!" Caroline laughed. "What's his name?"

"Go-To-Hell." Klaus confirmed with a swing of his whiskey.

Caroline chastised him, "that's not funny." Turning back to Rebekah she told her that they hadn't picked a name yet. "I gave the job to Klaus but he's refusing to be mature about it."

Klaus scoffed from the couch, watching Rebekah slip the unnamed kitten into Caroline's arms. _It's not cute God damn it!_ "Fine, is it a boy or girl?"

"Boy."

Klaus thought for a second, "Neron."

Surprised Caroline's eyes widened, "Aw how adorable!" She cooed into the kittens face.

"It's not adorable it means Strong. He's a fighter." Klaus joined the girls standing behind the couch, melting over the kitten as if it were a God sent.

Caroline ignored him, "He needs food. Go to the grocery store."

Klaus felt himself nearly coughing in shock. _What was that?_ "I don't go to the grocery store Caroline, especially not for that thing."

Her glare was venomous, "Go to the store or all drink every supply of O- blood in this town until next year!" Neron cuddled against Caroline's chest despite the angry way she was threatening Klaus.

He felt himself becoming defensive, fists clenching in rage. "Who do you think you are to speak to me that way?!"

She stomped her foot, "I'm the mother of your kitten now go to the store!"

Klaus went to the store.

-o-

Caroline was laying on the couch watching Neron play with a ball and string she'd designed from loose objects around the house. She smiled at his little paws trying to wrap around the ball which was much larger than he was.

A loud noise caught her attention -it was Klaus.

He stumbled into the house with at least ten different bags of kitten food, all of them large and obviously not cheap. "Klaus?" She asked curiously.

Huffing he told her, "I didn't know what kind to get so," he gestured around him, "I got them all."

Caroline smiled and awed, "You do care!"

His face deadpanned, "No I don't."

She watched him vamp speed away from her into his room, leaving her alone with kitten food and the kitten in question. "Come on Neron, time for bed!"

-o-

The sun landed on his face abruptly. _Somebody_ had pulled back the curtains, and by somebody he meant Caroline. "Rise and shine!" She called out, turning to watch him wake up.

Klaus checked his clock, "Why are you waking me up at six in the morning?" He growled, angry that she'd dared to disrupt his sleeping patterns.

"People who wake up earlier get more out of the day!" She sat on the edge of the bed, staring at him as if nothing was wrong.

"I'm a vampire, I stay out all night. I'm not going to get more of my day!" He laid back down on his back, letting himself close his eyes to drown out the light of the day.

She sighed, "Yeah maybe I didn't think that one through."

-o-

Klaus sat on the couch, minding his own business, reading about the history of witches in the French Quarter when a white demon decided to start attacking his toes.

"Damn it!" He yelled, caught of guard by the sudden assault. "Don't do that!" He scolded Neron, picking up the kitten and placing him back onto the floor.

Seconds past before Neron was jumping back onto the furniture and nuzzling in the side of Klaus's leg. "Stop it." He growled, shoving the kitten off of the couch with a gentle push.

But that didn't stop the little devil. He was determined to play with Klaus whether the hybrid liked it or not. This time he went directly for the chest, planting himself over where Klaus's heart was. Klaus thought about ridding himself of the cat again but then realized that like himself -Neron was stubborn.

"Just don't try anything with those claws or I'll bite you." He warned, a finger pointed towards the feline.

Klaus hadn't noticed he'd fallen asleep until Caroline was waking him up with a squeal of excitement. "That is the cutest thing I've ever seen!" Klaus groaned, noticing that Neron was still rooted on his chest. "I'm taking a picture!"

"No!"

But it was too late.

"Show that to anybody and you're dead meat." He threatened, closing his eyes in embarrassment.

-o-

The smell of roses hit his nose first when he entered the manor. "What the bloody hell?" He asked, watching as men rushed around the house carrying vases upon vases of flowers.

Caroline and Rebekah were directing traffic near the entryway. "Flowers bring up the mood!" She explained, pointing a large vase of chrysanthemums into the dinning room.

"So does alcohol." He grumbled, unable to stop a whiff of tulip entering into his nose. "This is ridiculous Caroline!"

Rebekah shook her head, "You're ridiculous Nik! Caroline's just trying to make the place a little more easy going."

"Why are you defending her? You don't like her!" Klaus asked in disbelief.

Caroline shrugged, "We have a mutual understanding."

He began to stalk off towards somewhere that didn't smell of over sprayed perfume when Caroline informed him that he better stop being grouchy before his birthday party that weekend.

"I'm not having a birthday party."

She put her hands on her hips, "I already invited everybody so _yes, _you are."

-o-

A small black box was placed down on the desk in front of him, covering half of his horses face. Klaus glowered down at the intrusion upon his sketch pad and asked, "What is this?"

"An early birthday present!" Caroline announced excitedly. "Open it!"

He sighed, removing the cover from the top of the small box. Inside were two small red balls made of foam. "What are these?" He held one up to examine it.

"Stress balls!" She picked up the matching one to his, giving it a squeeze in her palm. "Use them when you're angry and they help calm you down."

"Caroline-" He was about to tell her that it was a ridiculous gift that he'd never in a million years use but when he caught the elated expression on her face he couldn't allow himself to let her down. "Thank you for the gift."

She waved it off, "Oh it's nothing. I have another gift for you but I'll give it to you after the party." Her cell phone started to ring in her purse, quickly she retrieved it. "Oh it's Elena, probably calling about the party."

Klaus's eyebrows raised in shock, "You invited the doppelganger?"

Caroline's face turned overwhelming innocent as she knitted her fingers together in front of her, "Actually I invited all my Mystic Falls friends."

"You what?" He asked annoyed.

She sighed, "It's just that I haven't seen them ever since I moved here and I miss them. I figured a party would be the best place to get them down here."

Klaus raised a finger to make a point, "Your friends don't like me."

She shrugged, "Yeah but I like you and they like me so it's fine!" Klaus decided that it would be best not to argue with her. Caroline moved to New Orleans nearly a year ago without explanation and never once spoke of her old friends. Klaus had wondered if they'd had a falling out but he never asked because he didn't want to upset her into leaving him. Not that he and Caroline were actually together but simply having her around was a gift itself though he'd never admit it.

"Alright then." He agreed, watching her grin widen so large it almost broke her face in two.

-o-

Klaus watched Caroline scramble around the mansion trying to make sure that nobody was drinking from the innocent or breaking anything. It was adorable the way she acted as if she owned the enter city, mostly because nobody tried to deny her the belief either. Caroline kept things in a balance so why should anybody challenge her?

Ever since he arrived she'd made it her personal mission to make sure that the war in New Orleans settled and everybody came to the understanding that killing each other wouldn't benefit anybody.

Now however she was expecting Klaus to start acting nicer. He may not be killing everybody who annoyed him but that didn't mean he wanted to be _nice_.

An arm slung across his shoulders that Klaus recognized at Marcel's, "You're one lucky guy." He pointed towards the blond girl waving at guests who had just walked inside.

"Caroline is amazing but she doesn't feel for me that way Marcel." His chest felt a dull ache. For months he'd thought about Caroline living a mere three doors down from him, yet he couldn't hold her in the middle of the night or wrap his arms around her waist the way he desperately craved.

Marcel raised an eyebrow, "Then why is she here?" Klaus didn't answer because that all came back around to the fact that one day Caroline simply showed up on his doorstep crying so he hugged her and allowed her to stay with him, no questions asked.

-o-

After detaching herself from a boring conversation a group of witches had been having about something Caroline wasn't paying attention to, she made way for the front door hoping that her friends would still make an appearance.

Her ears managed to pick up on the small whimpers Neron was making from her room upstairs. They had to lock him inside or he'd escape, or worse somebody would take him, or eat him. Caroline couldn't decide which fate she feared more for the kitten. Rebekah had offered to carry the fuzz ball around all night seeing as she had fallen as in love with him as Caroline had, but in fact it had been Klaus that vetoed the thought, saying that he'd be safer locked in Caroline's room.

She knew she was going to break him eventually.

"Care?" A lost voice called out. Caroline spun on her heels with her mouth agape. Elena stood in the door frame flanked by the Salvatore brothers, Bonnie Bennett and Matt.

Her eyes nearly began to cry from the sight of her friends, "Oh my god you actually came!" She yelled, running at them with her arms wide. Bonnie, Elena, Matt and Stefan embraced her while Damon hung back. Not that Caroline was complaining. While she still hated the vampire, it was kind of nice to see him again. But she'd never admit that. "I didn't think you'd show up!"

Pulling back Bonnie kept her hand on Caroline's arms, "Of course we did Caroline, we haven't seen you in a year."

She felt suddenly guilty for her absence in their lives. "I know, I'm sorry I just-"

"It's okay Care, we get it." Elena smiled genuinely, letting her know that they weren't judging her for skipping town or coming to live with Klaus and the rest of the Mikaelson's.

Happy to see them Caroline swung her arms in the direction of the living room, "well come on in!" They followed where she led them, eyes taking in the vast expanse of the Mikaelson household and the large number of guests Caroline had invited. "Like it?" She asked.

Damon picked up a glass of champagne off of the tray a waiter was rushing past him with. "You're living the good life now aren't you Blondie?" Elena elbowed him.

Bonnie shook her head incredulously, amazed by the scene before her. Caroline didn't know if they were angry at her or not. They were probably annoyed that she'd ditched them to start living a life of luxury, but it wasn't as if she moved in with Klaus for his money. Bonnie laughed, "Same old Caroline." She let out a breath of relief. "What have you been up to all this time besides, well this?"

Caroline thought about her past year trying to decide what she should and shouldn't tell him. "Well I've managed to keep everybody from killing each other so that's a success! Oh and I got a kitten!"

Stefan looked flabbergasted, "A kitten? Klaus let you buy a kitten."

She crossed her arms, "Oh please Klaus didn't have an opinion." The group shared confused expressions, some of them seemed impressed and others startled. "I mean, I bought the cat to make him nicer, he's working on it."

"Caroline you do realize-" Elena began but was interrupted by a loud crash from the other end of the room. Caroline flung her head in the direction of the noise to see a werewolf named Landon throwing a vampire onto the ground. He was part of Hayley's pack that Caroline had made sure had been turned back into humans -except on the full moon of course- so that the brunette would go away. The two girls had never gotten along.

Rushing towards the scene Caroline grabbed Landon by the neck and held him against the wall. "Stop it!" She yelled into his face, her fangs extending.

Landon pointed to the baby vampire she'd come to know as Josh on the ground. "He started it."

"I don't care!" She let him go, watching his body slump against the wall. "This is a party Landon! Behave!" The werewolf looked venomous but said nothing as he gathered himself and walked away.

Caroline turned to help Josh up, he looked utterly confused. "I just bumped into him, honest!" He held his hands up innocently.

She fluttered her hand, telling him to forget it ever happened. "Don't worry about it Josh, I believe you." Josh grinned at her before she returned to her pals.

They were watching her with eyes wide. "What?" She asked.

"I didn't know you had it in you." Damon told her, finishing off his drink with a smirk.

Matt snorted, "I did."

"Matt!" She swatted at him playfully. It felt like eons since she and Matt had been together. As she began to laugh, Caroline felt a body press against hers in a familiar way but it wasn't anything sexual, it was cautious. She knew instantly who it was. Turning her head slightly she saw him, "Hi!"

Klaus beamed down at her, his dimples visible from miles away. "Hello Caroline, wonderful party!"

"You're welcome!" She bounced in place, extremely happy with herself. Stefan coughed alerting the two of them that the Mystic Gang was standing in front of them. "Right! My friends came!"

"Klaus." Elena greeted with disgust in her voice, though she was trying to keep it at a bare minimum.

He sighed, "Well it's nice to see you too Elena. How have you all been the past year?" Klaus's voice sounded sincere but Caroline knew he didn't give a rats ass what they'd been doing. She on the other hand was insanely curious. Was anybody almost killed? How was college? Did Elena choose Stefan or Damon? Were Bonnie and Jeremy still together?

"Great." Stefan answered, lacing his fingers through Elena's. Well that answered that question. Klaus and Caroline both caught the action at the same time, smiling at each other for a fraction of a second before continuing the conversation. "No horrible accidents or anything for awhile so it's been … great." His face fell at his inability to find a better word to use.

"So," Damon drawled, "are you two like together now?"

"Damon!" Bonnie chastised, "we said we weren't going to ask that question!"

Caroline was surprised but not totally caught off guard by her friends wondering. They'd always known she felt an attraction to Klaus and hearing that she'd ran out of town to live with him for a year could only lead them down a few roads of different options. "Um, no we're not -we're not together." She tried to laugh it off but it didn't make it any less awkward.

Klaus held his hands together behind his back, "well this has been a marvelous birthday I must say."

Caroline slapped his arm, "Don't be rude." Klaus rolled his eyes.

-o-

"If they're not together now they will be soon. Poor Caroline." Bonnie gossiped to Matt as they stood near a long table piled with food. Caroline and Klaus stood on the opposite side of the room, talking to each other with brilliant smiles on their faces.

Matt ate a pig in a blanket while he answered, "I don't know Bon," he swallowed, "she seems kind of good for him."

"Seriously?" The girl raised an eyebrow, running her eyes up and down her friend checking for cracks.

He shrugged, "Yeah I mean he hasn't killed anybody tonight, he didn't threaten her when she slapped him and," Matt pointed at the two of them, "he allowed her to by a kitten."

Bonnie had to admit that he had a point.

-o-

Caroline wished her friends a heart filled goodbye, tears streaming down her cheeks as she hugged them all -including Damon- and watched them disappear into the busy New Orleans streets. She wished she could join them but Mystic Falls was her past and she needed a future. A bright one.

Klaus watched her from the hallway, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, hearing tears trickle down her face. "You aright Love?"

Her back faced him for a long time before she turned to him, rubbing the back of her hand against her face to dry them. "Yeah I'm fine." It was a blatant lie and he could tell.

"Caroline you can be with your friends if you want." It was the last thing Klaus wanted to happen but seeing her in such obvious pain at her friends departure made him desperate to see a smile on her face. Even if he wasn't the one putting it there.

She shook her head, walking towards him slowly. "No I don't want that." Her confession lifted the weight off of his shoulders, but it didn't explain her sadness. "I can't go back to Mystic Falls."

"Why?" She reminded him of the broken girl he'd seen on his doorstep nearly a year ago. Small, tired and in need of comfort. His comfort. Klaus reached forward and placed his hands on her shoulders gently, "What's wrong Caroline?"

Caroline sighed, "A year ago there was a couple of vampires in town and one of them attacked me, so I killed him." Though he'd seen her kill before he'd hadn't become accustomed to her being so violent. "His girlfriend wanted revenge on me but I wasn't -I wasn't dating anybody so they -they killed my mom."

Without missing a beat he pulled his hard against his chest, allowing her sobs to ruin the material of his shirt. Not in a million years had Klaus thought about the possibility that Liz Forbes had died and that had been the reason Caroline finally sought him out. "It's alright Caroline, it's alright."

-o-

Rebekah watched the two from her perch on the balcony. She tried to hide her own tears thinking of how long Caroline had been hiding the truth. She felt somebody move beside her but her body stayed still. "Wow," Marcel commented, "she really got him to care didn't she?"

Laughing lightly Rebekah told him, "She's Caroline. If anybody's going to get him to do anything. It's her."


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Hey ya'll just another little one shot [just fyi I have not beta on any of my fics, I try my best to edit myself but some mistakes still slip the cracks!]**

"It says here being active can make you feel happier!" Caroline had her magazine on the bed below her as she sat cross legged. Klaus watched her from his seat on the chair in the corner. It was _his_ room, so why had he been tossed off of his own bed? "Maybe you should try exercising."

Klaus shook his head, running his hand over his face in exhaustion. It felt like years since he'd gotten any real sleep. He blamed it on those damn yellow walls. "I don't want to exercise Caroline."

Her bright eyes never seemed to dim ever since she'd told him of her mothers passing two weeks ago. Even now she was staring at him with large doe eyes, pleading without words. "What about yoga?"

"You can't be serious." He groaned, trying to imagine himself doing foolish poses and breathing out through his nose as if it would help _anything. _

Caroline smirked, "Deadly serious."

Once again he denied her the answer she wanted, "Never going to happen Sweetheart, but it's okay to dream." From below him a small purr arose, Klaus looked towards the ground and spotted a ball of fur rubbing against his leg. Instantly Klaus scooped Neron into his hands before placing him on the small portion of chair that he wasn't occupying himself.

She watched Klaus with the kitten, smiling widely at the scene. Klaus would never admit it but he'd actually grown very fond of the cat, allowing it to lay beside him at night, to lick him awake in the morning. To snuggle into his shirt whenever he was reading -Caroline had photographic evidence. "How about dancing then? That's exercise!"

He seemed intrigued, leaning forward slightly, "You've peaked my interest."

Caroline appeared overwhelmingly delighted, "How about the club tonight? I hear Marcel is performing!"

Klaus sunk back into his chair, Neron climbing onto his lap to kneed at his shirt. He looked down to the kitten annoyed, "I don't care to watch girls fawning over Marcel, Caroline."

"Please?" She pouted, "I haven't been out in forever!"

He sighed, "Fine." _For Caroline._

-o-

Klaus heard the ruckus before he saw it. Caroline stumbled through the front door with shopping bags hanging from her thin arms, seemingly weighing a ton. Though since she was a vampire Klaus knew it wasn't actually that heavy. "What's all his?" He questioned with an amused smile.

Her face light up when she saw him standing there, "I bought stuff for you!" The bags swung back and forth as she displayed her purchases to him. "Well I didn't use my money, so technically you bought yourself stuff."

Klaus watched her shut the door behind her and then place the bags on the ground. From within them she produced a pile of shirts he recognized as a brand he had in his closet, but they weren't his usual color scheme of grey, white and black. "You bought me colorful shirts?"

Caroline held up an orange one, swaying it in front of him as if she was beckoning a dog with a bone. "Different colors mean different things, I thought wearing happier colors could make you less angry all the time."

His jaw clenched, "I'm _not_ angry all the time."

Her lips pursed in disappointment, her head shaking, "You literally just got angry." Continuing on with her new theory she told him, "Yellow means joy and happiness, orange means joy and sunshine, green is growth and harmony, blue is-"

Klaus zoned out after the fist couple of shirts because he honestly couldn't believe she'd gone to all the trouble to buy him a nearly entire new collection of shirts. It was ridiculous, but it was so Caroline he had to grin. Dimples and all.

-o-

"See it looks good!" Caroline complimented, watching Klaus hop down the stairs as they waited for him. Rebekah, Caroline and Klaus were heading out to the club to watch Open Mic Night which sounded like hell on Earth to Klaus -but it made Caroline happy.

He'd been trying to do a lot of that since she confessed that her mother had died.

Ignoring the fact that he was donning a brand new blue t-shirt that made him feel incredibly emotionally exposed ever since Caroline started talking about how it meant trust, stability, faith and all this other nonsense. Klaus was just _wearing_ the shirt the color was irrelevant to most folks, but to Caroline it reflected what he was feeling that day. How was he supposed to wear anything without thinking about how she'd perceive him.

Well … red was passion and desire.

"Let's just go!" Rebekah grumbled, tossing open the front door and strutting her way out. Caroline followed hastily and Klaus could only do the same.

The club was packed to the brim filled with people of all kinds. Vampires, werewolves, witches and humans were tucked together within the confines of the bar. "Oh look there's Marcel!" Caroline pointed towards the man leaning against the side of the stage. "I think he's next!"

"Oh the joy." Klaus grumbled lowly, wondering how longer it would take for him to get to the bar and get a whisky.

Caroline slapped his arm, "Don't be rude!"

Eventually they managed to get drinks, Klaus making sure that the bartender knew to keep the bottle ready for him. Caroline leaned against bar, waving her hands in the air joyously when Marcel took his place on stage. Klaus couldn't help but admire the way she managed to radiate happiness, even if she was terribly upset. Klaus loved how her eyes widened to match the wideness of her lips, how she screamed out for no apparent reason but to let everybody know she was excited. She was fascinating to say the least.

Marcel began to sing a slow ballad that gradually escalated into something that people called dance music. Klaus didn't actually hate it. But he blamed that on Caroline's dancing. She had started to sway her hips to the music, arms waving in the air gracefully.

He only turned to get a drink for a moment but when he looked back Caroline was in the middle of the dance floor laughing along with a tall, black haired man with his hands on her waist. Klaus felt his insides boil in rage.

They weren't dating, but she was _his_ man would have to be stupid to touch her with him in such close proximity, everybody knew that Klaus would have their liver shoved down their throats for merely staring at her flirtatiously.

He was across the room in seconds, hand clenching around the mans throat angrily, "What do you think you're doing mate?"

"Klaus!" Caroline protested, stomping her foot in rage. "Let him go!"

"Why?" He snarled, enjoying the way the mans eyes were nearly jumping out of his skull.

Caroline tugged on his arm, trying to stop the scene before everybody started to notice. "Because we're not actually together." Klaus cocked his head to the side, glaring at the blonde woman beside him. "Let him go."

Begrudgingly Klaus released his hold on the other man, watching him scramble away in fright. "Happy?" He asked through clenched teeth.

Caroline looked anything but. She had her arms crossed over her chest, lips pressed tightly together, hip jutted out indicating she was royally pissed off. "I'm not speaking to you until you apologize to me and actually mean it!"

Klaus watched her speed away, leaving nothing but a breeze behind.

-o-

Neron cried at the foot of Klaus's bed, his large blue eyes begging for the affection of a certain blonde vampire that hadn't left her room in nearly a week. Klaus leaned back against his headboard, sketching Caroline as he so often did whenever she wasn't around for him to admire in person. "If you want to see her so badly cry to her not me. She's mad at me Mate."

Neron titled his head, paws kneading at the sheets near Klaus's feet. "It's ridiculous that she's so pissed off! I shouldn't have to apologize." No response from the kitten. Klaus supposed he couldn't actually be classified as a kitten anymore, seeing as he wasn't small enough to fit inside of a cup.

Caroline had tried it once after watching a quote, 'adorable' video on the internet of a kitten in a coffee mug.

"Do you think I'm in the wrong?" He asked, his pencil halting it's strokes on the page. "It's not like I killed the man." Klaus's pride was the one thing he always clinging to, even if it got him in trouble. More often then not it did. "I mean, I care for her and she knows this so why is it so unexpected that I'd despise the thought of another man touching her?" Neron meowed loudly, causing Klaus to sigh.

-o-

She heard the door open, knowing exactly who had been on the other side moments before. Caroline greeted him with a pillow to the face, tossing it from her place on the bed watching it pelt him and drop to the ground.

Klaus stood startled in the door frame, his lips tightening in annoyance, "Was that necessary?" His voice sounded angry but Caroline wasn't afraid.

Shrugging she told him, "Yes. Get out." She watched one of his fists clench tighter then it had been previously, and curiosity started to awaken in her.

He ignored her demand, stepping over the pillow closer to the bed. "I came to apologize."

Caroline raised an unconvinced eyebrow, "Really? You think I'm just going to take that as an apology?" Again he squeezed his fist.

They stared at each other for what felt like years, neither one wanting to break contact and give the other satisfaction. Klaus noticed how tired she appeared, the dark circles under her eyes starting to become extremely noticeable. He was instantly angry at himself for causing her distress, seeing the effects only worsened the feeling inside of his gut.

"Caroline, I am truly sorry for hurting that man which evidently hurt you." He enlarged his eyes in a pleading manner, hoping she'd take pity on him because it was a horrid task. Klaus didn't like admitting he was wrong, but for her he would. She should have been thankful.

Her guard seemed to drop, her arms falling away from her chest and hanging limp beside her body. "Thank you Klaus." He was amazed at how much he missed that bright smile, those golden curls that danced around her face as she moved. "I do have a question."

"What's that?"

"What's in your hand?" She pointed at the fist he was holding down by his thigh. Klaus had been hoping to avoid Caroline asking that precise question, mostly because he didn't want to let her know the answer but also because it was him again admitting defeat to her. Slowly he raised his arm and produced a small red ball from underneath his fingers.

"Stress ball." He grumbled.

Caroline chuckled lightly, "I told you they'd work!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah."

-o-

The next morning Klaus was greeted by the sunlight streaming in through a crack in his curtains and the smell of pancakes from the kitchen. Normally he awoke to the scent of coffee, each of the siblings -including Caroline- were notorious for drinking more caffeine than the recommended daily intake.

However, as he made his way down the staircase, not bothering to put on a shirt since was in fact boiling warm in the house, he caught wind of pancake batter. Turning the corner he saw Caroline at the helm of the ship, flipping what appeared to be the last one onto a plate on the counter.

"What's this?" He approached her, taking a seat at the island. Caroline turned with a dazzling smile, and Klaus pretended not to notice her sudden frozen stance when she realized he wasn't wearing a top. Klaus usually made sure he was clothed around her because as much as he wanted her to be his, he didn't want to make her uncomfortable.

But on that day he appeared to give no fucks.

Caroline got her groove back, pretending that the moment between them hadn't happened. "I made pancakes in the shapes of hearts!" She showed him the plate, sliding it over gracefully. "My dad used to do it for me when I was younger and we got into a fight."

Klaus chuckled at the thought of a young Caroline giving her father a piece of her mind, much like she did the rest of New Orleans. "You're giving me make up pancakes?"

She didn't see anything funny about it. Which was so innocently _Caroline_ that Klaus couldn't help but grin. "Well yes, but they're not all for you." He titled his head in interest. "I'm hungry too."

"Than lets eat."

She moved around the island to take the stool beside him, making sure to put enough distance between them so that they wouldn't be touching. Klaus noticed this but wondered if it was on purpose or not.

Half way through their meal filled with mindless chit-chat and a really funny joke Caroline had heard from Josh there was an interruption from one of Klaus's vampires.

He nearly growled in frustration, "Yes?" Caroline leaned on her elbows, eager to hear the seemingly important news.

The vampire gulped, "There was a fight last night. It just happened so suddenly. A couple of werewolves tried to fight a group of vamps."

Caroline shook her head in astonishment, "It's not even a full moon, they wouldn't match their strength!"

He nodded, "They were drunk off their asses and then a friend of theirs tried to get in the middle and keep the peace. The three of them died."

Klaus and Caroline exchanged surprised looks. There hadn't been a death between the species in months. "Who were they?" She asked. Klaus didn't really care who they were -they were dead. He cared about the vampires responsible.

The vampire twiddled his thumbs, "I don't know who the two guys were but the third was Hayley."

Caroline was shocked, not expecting Hayley to have been so stupid. "Well I suppose that's unfortunate." Klaus admired her dislike of the wolf, even after she'd perished.

He didn't linger on it for long, "Tell the vampires to meet me here in an hour."

As the vampire left Caroline watched Klaus finish off his breakfast, curious as to what his plans were for the killers. She knew that if they stood any change of survival she'd half to come along for the meeting. "I'm going to be there." She declared, not allowing him any chance to argue as she left the room.

-o-

The vampires names were Nathan and Jackson, two news guys that Caroline remembered stumbling into town like drunk idiots a couple months prior. Klaus eyed them warily from right behind her, his chest pressed against part of her arm. Close enough so that he could be sure she was there, but not intimate enough for anybody to think they were together.

Caroline had been careful in making a point she she was _not_ with Klaus to the New Orleans people.

As Nathan and Jackson approached them, their heads were hung low. Caroline was sure that there had been others involved in the fight but the two vampires standing in shame were the killers.

"So," Klaus began, striding towards them menacingly, "you thought you could simply kill three members of the werewolf pack that we're trying to keep peace with?" They said nothing. "Well?" Caroline knew that his anger was rising by the second, threatening to blow at any moment.

Rebekah exchanged a cautious look with her and Caroline knew exactly what the blonde was thinking. If Klaus began to get out of hand they'd have to hold him down.

Nathan was the first one to speak, "we didn't mean for it to get so out of hand, honest." Caroline pitied the men, wishing that she was dealing with them and not Klaus. "They started talking shit about things they had no business talking about and we get mad."

Well if anybody could relate to that it was Klaus.

He held his hands behind his back which would normally appear to hold no menace but it was Klaus's stance of power. "And what was this 'shit' they were speaking of that made you so angry?"

Nathan's eyes lifted from the floor to gaze past Klaus to Caroline, "they were saying things about Caroline."

She was shocked, her jaw nearly hitting the floor. What would the werewolves want with her? Surely she hadn't done anything to anger them? She had been the one to liberate them and allow their presence in the quarter again.

Klaus stiffened at the news, "What were they saying?"

Jackson remained quiet as his friend explained everything, "Things I'd like not to repeat. Sexual things." Caroline felt her mouth fall agape, her hand resting on her chest in astonishment. Klaus's eyes darkened, his anger gone so far not even a stress ball could reel him back in. "I didn't think she deserved to be spoken about like that, w-we both didn't."

Klaus's jaw was tight, "Thank you, you may go." Both vampires departed so fast nothing was left but a small breeze from their speed. Caroline watched Klaus trying to compose himself, even though it didn't seem to be working.

"Klaus they're dead, you can calm down." Rebekah told him, hand on her hip in annoyance.

"Shut it!" He commanded her, the veins in his neck popping out as he yelled.

Caroline ran and placed herself between the Mikaelson siblings. "Hey, no fighting!" She pointed her fingers in his direction. "I know you're mad but as Rebekah said, they're dead."

He glowered at her. "Then I shall find their rotting corpses and set them aflame!"

Caroline shook her head, "that won't make anything better! Moving on will!" She pleaded with him to see it her way but he was too lost in his cloud of rage to think rationally. "How about we go do something else? How about ice cream?"

"I'm leaving." Rebekah announced from behind the other blond, strutting off towards her room.

-o-

Klaus calmed eventually once Caroline had talked him down off his murderous ledge. She _had_ gotten ice cream at one point but Klaus didn't eat his -so she had two bowls happily.

"You wore olive green today." She informed him, licking the remains of the vanilla ice cream off of her spoon. He tried to ignore the way her tongue moved around the cutlery in a manner that was far from innocent. Wondering what else she was capable of using it for. _Stop that Klaus! _He inwardly chastised.

He coughed in an attempt to stop staring before asking, "why do you know the exact hue of my shirt?"

With a snort she told him, "I bought it." That seemed to be the most obvious thing the world to her.

Klaus shook his head. "Well what does it mean?"

Caroline finished off the contents of her bowl, shoving it away from her so that her elbows had enough room to rest on the table. "It's the traditional color of peace which I find extremely ironic."

He faked offence, "I can be peaceful."

Standing she laughed at him, a sound so beautiful he was certain she came from angels. It was amazing the effect Caroline managed to have on him when they were merely friends living in the same household and not lovers. "Maybe when you sleep." And then she left and Klaus was disappointed by her absence.


End file.
